


Vase of Ivory, Vase of Gold

by momopichu



Series: Bone Lilies [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 21:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7657903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momopichu/pseuds/momopichu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Created as a partner piece to Asphodel. It can be read by itself.</p><p>When the Nightmares arrive, haunting Jack awake. Gabriel offers kind words and comfort.<br/>When the roles are reversed, well...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vase of Ivory, Vase of Gold

I'm not afraid. When the claws came, gouging deep scars across his face. I'm not afraid. When the noose came, settling around his neck. I'm not afraid. When the cord tightened, pulling deep into his skin.

He woke in cold sweat. White shirt drenched grey, Jack tumbled from his room. He didn't stop until he was in his office. Shivering hands reached for the lights and turned them on. They burned his eyes and yet, at the edges of his vision he could see the darkness creep. He rubbed them hard, trying to dispel the nightmares.

Breathe, Jack. Breathe.

"You know..." A voice began.

Jack whirled, shivering legs giving out beneath him. He fell, pulling his chair and half the contents of his desk with him. Gabriel lounged against the wall of Jack's office, toned arms crossed over his chest. He watched in amusement as the young blond scrambled to free himself. Finally taking pity on him, Gabriel pushed aside the fallen chair and helped the boy to his feet. 

"R-Reyes, Sir!" Jack stammered, trying to salute. "I-I didn't see you there!"

Gabriel eyed Jack for a moment - A long moment, Jack thought - before reaching his hand up to remove Jack's hands from his face where they were frozen in a salute. Unconsciously, Gabriel swiped his hand across the younger man's forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that clung there. Brown eyes scrutinised the red welts that criss-crossed Jack's face. 

"How did you get these?" He asked.

"S-sir?"

"These scars on your face," Gabriel explained patiently.

Jack reached up to touch his face, sure enough he could feel the wounds.

"I don't know si-"

"Gabe," Gabriel cut him off "Call me Gabe."

"I don't know G-Gabe, s-sir."

Gabriel hmphed. Pulling the young man with him, he deposited Jack in the office's only chair. From his pocket, the older man produced a handkerchief which he soaked in water from a bottle on the table. With firm but gentle hands, he wiped down Jack's face.

Jack remained silent. He could feel Gabriel's warmth through the piece of cloth. Calloused fingers massaged his face, he could feel the nightmare fade with each brush. Gabriel's other hand supported Jack's head, unconsciously he leaned into it. Warmth and comfort, his shivers stopped, blessed cool air filled his lungs. 

"There, that should do for now. " Gabriel murmured. He shook out his handkerchief before folding it and returning it to his pocket. Brown eyes never left Jack's face, the younger man could see the worry in them. "What happened?"

Jack shrugged. He wasn't about to tell his superior he was spooked by a little nightmare. As dark and ominous as it had been. His mistake.

Black brows snapped together in a frown. The temperature of the room seemed to drop.

"It was just a dream," Jack said hurriedly "It was...it's stupid really." He rubbed a hand across his suddenly aching forehead. Shadows moved. Gabriel knelt on the floor before him. Pulling aside Jack's hand, he engulfed them in his own tanned ones, holding the younger man steady. The frown was nowhere to be seen, instead chocolate-brown eyes held his own cornflower blue.

"Tell me about it," Gabriel said.

Hesitant at first, Jack told Gabriel of his nightmare. Of the clawed hand, of the noose. Gabriel listened quietly, his thumb tracing circles on the back of Jack's hands. 

"It's probably nothing" Jack finished, he watched Gabriel's circling thumb, mesmerised. Gabriel's hands stilled. He held onto the younger man's hands, thinking.

"Would you like to take a holiday?" Gabriel asked suddenly.

Jack blinked, once. Twice.

"But work-" 

"Work can wait," Gabriel interrupted "Even a blind man can see you need rest. We can get off this heap of rock, get onto the mainland. Spend a day there. How does that sound?"

Jack was stunned, ditch work for the day? With Gabriel? 

"Jack?" Gabriel was waiting for an answer, his eyes betrayed his concern. He still held the younger man's hands in his own.

"If the others well...If they don't mind...then..." He trailed off, flustered. He didn't want to sound too eager, but the offer was a tempting one - a very tempting one.

"They won't even know we were gone," Gabriel winked at the younger man. Pulling him off the chair, he gave Jack a small smack on the back. "Get changed boy scout, we'll go immediately."

Jack took a few steps forward, stopping at the threshold of the office. He looked back. Gabriel had his back to him, arms crossed before him, eyeing the vase of flowers on his table.

"Gabe?" He asked.

"I'm coming." The other man answered, Gabriel turned to follow Jack.

Today, the vase was filled with white carnations.

\---

I'm not afraid. When the claws came, digging deep valleys in his back. I'm not afraid. When the noose came, heavy around his neck. I'm not afraid. When the cord tightened, ripping his skin.

Fumbling, Jack left his room and the sweat drenched bed behind. He was surprised to see light in his office. Half-blinded by their radiance, he stepped into the room. Everything was as he had left it, sort of. Facing away from him and half-hidden in the furthest corner of his office, his only chair twirled from side to side.

He stumbled, gripping the doorframe with a white-knuckled hand.

The chair whirled around. Gabriel rose from the chair quickly when he saw the other man. Pulling Jack from the door, he helped him into the chair. Pushing messy blond hair out of his face, Gabriel examined Jack's face, tracing his features with soft fingers.

"Another dream?" He asked. He tried to smile, but it lost itself when brown eyes met bloodshot blue eyes.

Silently, Gabriel moved behind the chair. His hands came to settle on Jack's shoulders. Squeezing and kneading, he massaged the tension from the blond man's shoulders. Jack leaned back, his head - too tall for his chair - rested on the other man's abdomen. He could feel the muscles tense under layers of cloth. Slowly, they too began to relax. For a few moments, silence reigned. Jack drifted, feeling the chill of the night recede.

The cord was there around his neck. With an audible snap it pulled. Skin bruised and bled. Airways cut off.

He bolted awake. Rough hands circled around his chest from behind, pulling him back into the chair. Sweat dripped from his skull by the bucketload. It was so hard to breathe. 

"Easy there boy scout," Gabriel murmured in his ear "Inhale to a count of seven, hold and exhale to a count of seven."

Jake did as he was ordered. Filling his lungs with air, counting, holding, he let the air out, all the while counting. Gabriel watched as Jack repeated the cycle, his arms remained around the younger man's chest - holding him. Finally Jack shuddered, he turned his head to meet Gabriel's eyes.

"Sorry." He muttered. They were so close, noses nearly brushing. He could smell the other man, of sun-beaten skin, of black coffee and of woollen hats. He turned his head away, soft blue eyes dropping to the floor.

"It's alright." Gabriel adjusted his grip on Jack, pulling him into an embrace. "Want to talk about it?"

"It's just a stupid dream."

"Still doesn't make it any less painful," Gabriel whispered "tell me about it."

Jack hesitated. Before he knew it, the dream floated from his lips. Gabriel listened quietly, unconsciously he tightened his arms around the younger man as if to protect him from the night terrors that stalked his dreams. When he finished, Jack sagged in his chair, his head leaned to the side to rest against Gabriel. He could feel the dark lashes against his skin as the older man blinked, thinking.

"It's too bad we can't have another holiday," He joked quietly.

Jack snorted. "You say that as if I had one."

Gabriel paused. Jack could feel the toned arms stiffen around him.

"What?" Jack asked, he tried to turn his head to see Gabriel but the older man held him fast. "Gabriel?"

"I'm sorry, I was just...uh...thinking."

"You're always thinking." Jack twisted in his chair, finally he was able to face the other man.

Gabriel's pupils were shrunken into pins, his skin had taken on an ashen grey tone. Jack reached up to grasp the other man's face in his hands.

"Gabe?" He asked, worried. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Gabriel said. He withdrew himself from Jack's hold to pace around the room, his hands had balled into fists. Jack could see the older man was anything but fine. He held onto the edge of his seat, thinking fast.

"What if we had a holiday here?" Jack asked.

Gabriel''s head snapped up. "What?"

"Here. At HQ, I can try to make us something." He stood, his mind made up.

"Jack, I really don't think you should." Gabriel began, he raised his hands as if meaning to push Jack back into the chair. "I'm fine."

"No. Stay here Gabe, I'll be right back!" Jack dodged Gabriel's hands. Slipping through the tanned man's grasp, he made a beeline for the door.

"Wait, Jack! Don't leave the room!"

But he was gone. On the table, their sweet scent gathered, they came now to waft around Gabriel. Chiding him, taunting him.

Today, the vase was filled with morning glories.

\---

I'm not afraid. When the claws came, circling him. I'm not afraid. When the noose came, twining around his neck. I'm not afraid. When the cord tightened, as if to embrace him in their biting hold.

Jack started awake. He was in his chair, in his office. He swiped a tired hand through his blond hair. His feet played on the ground, twirling his chair to the right, then to the left. With a sigh he leaned forward on his desk, picking up a wad of papers as he did.

He felt the other man enter the room. Quiet like an oncoming mist, eyes burning into the back of his neck. Jack ignored him, his own cornflower blue eyes scanned the papers. Snapping up a pen, he began writing. For a while, there was only the sound of shuffling papers and scratching pen.

"You know..." He began.

"What." came the gruff reply.

"Nothing." Jack half-smiled. Concentration fixed on the stack of papers as he worked steadily through them. Dark hands entered his field of view, they pressed his own down - forcing him to put down his pen.

"What?" Gabriel asked.

Jack turned to look into Gabriel's eyes. The older man turned his head away. Jack laughed. Raising a hand, he grasped Gabriel's chin and turned him to look into his eyes. The older man held a sombre expression, he tried to avoid Jack's gaze. 

"Nightmares?" Jack asked.

"It's..." Gabriel started. He fumbled for the words. "It's...stupid."

Jack rose from his chair, gently, he guided Gabriel to his chair. The older man sat quietly. Kneeling before him, Jack gathered Gabriel's hands and covered them with his own.

"Tell me about it." He said. Blue eyes met brown eyes and held them. 

Gabriel remained silent. He examined the younger man before him. Cornflower blue eyes, beautiful ivory skin and blond hair that would put the sun to shame. He inhaled deeply, the smell of the other man's cologne filled his senses. Extracting a hand from Jack's hold, he cupped the other man's face.

"You already know it." Gabriel said.

"Tell me again." 

"Jack," he began, the young man's smooth skin seemed to burn against his hand. He couldn't do this. He couldn't. "It's you. You're the nightmare, Jack."

Jack didn't answer, instead he leaned forward. His lips ghosted across Gabriel's cheek, the touch stung the older man. He slapped a hand over the skin, feeling as if someone had pressed dried ice against him. The cold spread, the pain pulsed in his temples. Jack released Gabriel's hands and rose.

He drifted to the door and paused on the threshold.

"Don't leave the room, Jack."

"I'll come back," he promised "If I don't, well. You'll be here, won't you? Reaper."

And he was gone. Gabriel Reyes, the Reaper, clutching a cheek that festered and burned. Resigned, he raised blood-red eyes to the vase of flowers on Jack's table.

Today, the vase was filled with yellow roses.

**Author's Note:**

> After Asphodel, I wanted to experiment with flower symbolism so below is a glossary of what I found and used within the piece.
> 
> White Carnation - innocence/pure love, carnations are actually used in Mexico’s festival: the Day of the Dead and are placed on graves. I wanted to use carnations because Gabriel would no doubt recognise the significance of carnations when he saw them.
> 
> Morning Glory - love in vain. In Chinese culture, two lovers that were separated by the Gods could only meet on a field of morning glories once every year. In Victorian culture, the flowers meant love, mortality or love in vain.
> 
> Yellow roses - has two different meanings. The more modern version of interpretation is friendship and happiness because of the bright colour. The second meaning, has heavy cultural significance - simply, the yellow rose meant extreme betrayal or infidelity. From 'Meilland, a Life in Roses', I quote "On [Mohammed's] return from his campaign, he became suspicious of his wife Aicha (of unfaithfulness) and told his usual counselor, the Archangel, Gabriel who offered him the following advice: Tell Aicha to plunge into pure water an object she is carrying on her person. If the object changes color this will be proof that she is guilty...[Aicha] had a [red] rose in her hand. The prophet asked her to plunge it into a nearby pool of water, and the rose turned yellow."


End file.
